CHAPTER I

hwasgoingperhapstodosomethinghermotherwouldstaysafelyonthesofa.Theydidnotexpectherbackforatleastaweek,andnotforasmuchlongerashertoothmightache.Ifhertoothwerestillinhermouthitwouldbeaching.Ifthedentisthaddecidedtostopit,itwouldhavebeenafortnightbeforesuchadreadfulacheasthatcouldbesuppressed,shewassureitwould.Andthetenpoundsherfatherhadgivenherfortaxisandtipsandotheroddsandends,spreadoverafortnightwhatwouldhavebeenleftofitanyhow?Besides,hehadsaid—andindeedtheBishop,desirousoftakingnojotfromhisgenerosityinthewholeannoyingbusiness,hadsaidit,andsaiditwiththestrongflavourofScripturewhichhungaboutevenhismuftiutterances—thatshemightkeepanyfragmentsofitthatremainedthatnothingbelost. "Yourfatherisverygoodtoyou,"saidhermother,inwhoseprostratepresencethegifthadbeenmade.—"Butbishops,"flashedacrossIngeborg'sundisciplinedandjerkymind,"havetobegood"—(shecaughttheflash,however,andchokeditoutbeforeithadgothalf-way)—"you'llbeabletogetyourselfaspringhat." "Yes,mother,"saidIngeborg,holdingherface. "AndIshouldthinkablouseaswell,"saidhermotherthoughtfully. "Yes,mother." "Mydear,rememberIrequireIngeborghere,"saidtheBishop,uneasyatthisvisionofanindispensabledaughterdelayedbyblouses."Youwillnot,ofcourse,forgetthat,Ingeborg." "No,father." Andhereshewasforgettingit.Hereshewasinfrontofacommonposterforgettingit.WhattheRitzandtheThackerayH?telwithalltheirattractionshadnotbeenabletodo,thatcrudepicturedid.SheforgottheBishop—orratherheseemedatthatdistancesuchalittlething,suchalittlebitofathing,atinylittleblackfigurewithadabofwhiteonitstop,comparedtothisvisionofsplendidearthandheaven,thatshewilfullywouldnotrememberhim.Sheforgotheraccumulatingwork.Sheforgotthathermovementshadallfirsttobesanctioned.AwhirlofScandinavianism,ofviolentlongingforfreedomandadventure,seemedtocatchherandliftheroutofthestreetandflingherintoaplaceofmapsandtime-tablesandhelpfulyoungmenframedinmahogany. "When—when—"shestammeredbreathlessly,pointingtoaduplicateofthesameposterhanginginside,"whendoesthenexttripstart?" "To-morrow,madam,"saidtheyoungmanherquestionhadtumbledon. Asolemnityfelluponher.ShefeltitwasProvidence.Sheceasedtoargue.Shedidn'teventrytostruggle."I'mgoing,"sheannounced. Andhertenpoundsbecametwopoundsthirteen,andshewalkedawayconsciousofnothingexceptthattheverynextdayshewouldbeoff.